Automatic closing device for sliding garage doors



1937- w. E. BAGLEY ET AL I 2,091,299

AUTOMATIC CLOSING DEVICE FOR SLIDING GARAGE DOORS Filed June 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 w INVENTOR. F/aZ/a/ae E Ba Zqy ATTORNEY.

1937. w. E. BAGLEY ETAL 2,091,299

AUTOMATIC CLOSING DEVICE FOR SL IDING GARAGE DOORS Filed Jun 16, 1936 s Sheet-Sheet s I WNW W I U INVENTOR. %Zlace E Bagiey ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES ATNT FFHCE.

AUTOMATIC CLOSING DEVICE FOR SLIDENG GARAGE DOORS Application June 16, 1936, Serial No. 85,460

2 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic closing devices for sliding garage doors and has for its primary object the designing and associating of the parts of the closing device in a manner that ti the cost of production is materially decreased while at the same time increasing the efficiency of operation of the device.

An object of the invention resides in the novel construction of the bracket and its unique man- 19 or of associating the same with the cam plate whereby an effective cam action is accomplished and a desired degree of resiliency created, whereby the door panels may be effectively forced towards the door frame and yieldably held in such position.

Another object of the invention resides in the novel design and construction of the various parts of the closing device whereby the cost of manu-- facture is materially reduced due to the fact 90 that they may be manufactured as stampings.

Besides the above, the invention is distinguished in the adjustability of the various parts of the closing device whereby irregularities in the manufacture of the various parts, or their mode I of assemblage, may be readily compensated for.

With these and other objects in View, the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

m Figure 1 is an elevation of a sliding garage door with the improved closing device attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the cam plate and associated parts.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure '7 is a front elevation of that form of the invention shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of a third 45 form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of that form of the invention shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a flexible weather strip attached to the lower edge of to the door.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional View of a spring operated weather strip shown attached to the lower edge of the garage door.

The sliding garage door and its supporting 55 structure may be of any suitable design, but preferably of that design shown in the copending application, Serial Number 70,736, filed March 25, 1936, consisting basically of hingedly connected door panels I, guide tracks 2, rollers 3 forming a connection between the tracks and the panels, and a raising device t for raising the panels and moving the rollers within the tracks.

The sliding door may be provided with any number of the improved automatic closing devices but for the purpose of illustration there is shown an upper pair of closing devices 5 and a lower pair 6.

As shown in Figures 3, 4:, and 5, each closing device consists of a bracket 1 consisting of two parts, hereinafter designated as a base plate 8 and a spring plate 9, which are secured together by rivets, by spot welding, or in any other suitable manner, the spring plate 9 inclining at an angle to the base plate so as to have a resilient action towards and away from the base plate in the use of the closing device.

The free end of the spring plate 9 is formed into a sleeve ill and secured to a pin it, the pin 8 l of the upper set of closing devices being longer than the pin l l of the lower set of closing devices for the purpose hereinafter described.

Associated with the pin II is a cam plate l2 and this cam plate, when incorporated in the upper set of closing devices, is of a straight outline, whereas the cam plate incorporated in the lower set of closing devices has a bend at the point l3 so as to offset the cam finger I4 thereof in relation to the cam finger I5 of the cam plate of the upper set of closing devices. Each cam finger M and i5 is provided with a cam surface lfia inclining towards the vertical walls I51) and E that define a recess [8 which is adapted to finally receive the pin I 4 after the same has been struck by the cam finger i5 and deflected by the cam surface itia thereof. Due to the fact that the cam fingers of the upper and lower plates are offset in relation to each other and the pins are of unequal length, it will be appreciated that in the closing action of the door, the pin it of the lower set of closing devices will pass by the cam fingers of the plates of the upper set of closing devices so as to enable the same to engage with the cam fingers N5 of the lower set of closing devices and, further, allow the pins H of the upper set of closing devices to properly contact with the cam fingers of the cam plates of the upper set of closing devices. Due to the exact construction and association of parts of the closing devices just described, it will be understood that the pins ll may readily contact and have cam action with the fingers l5 for forcing the door panels towards the door frame. When this has been accomplished, the pins are in the recess I6 and abut the vertical Walls I51) and I50 thereof for effectively holding the panels locked in tight abutting relation with the door frame. Also, due to the design of the component parts of the closing devices, a resilient action is created in a very simple manner due to the fact that the spring plate 9 is so positioned and designed that the same may flex in the engagement of the pins with the cam fingers and with the walls of the recess iii.

For the purpose of compensating for any irregularities in construction of the component parts of the closing devices, or for compensating for slight variations in the final assemblage of the parts and, further, for the purpose of regulating the final closing action of the panels, the cam plates 12 are provided with slots I8 in which are mounted adjustment bolts 19 that are, in turn, mounted in slots 20 in the frame 2| that supports the tracks 2. Due to the horizontal arrangement of the slots i 8 and the vertical arrangement of the slots 28], the plates may be adjusted horizontally and vertically for giving proper final adjustment to the plates.

In Figures 6 and 7, there is shown a bumper spring 22 associated with the cam finger 23 and the purpose of this bumper spring is to take up the shock of contact of the pin 24 with the cam finger 23 and, further, to create a yieldable action against the pin 24 when the same has been finally seated in the recess 25 of the plate. The bumper spring will also compensate for any wear of the parts during the continued operation of the closing device.

In Figures 8 and 9, the spring plate 26 is shown as a continuation of the base plate 27, thereby enabling the same to be made from a single strip of metal, the plate 26 being so tempered as to have the required degree of resiliency.

In Figure 10, there is illustrated a flexible type of weather strip 28 secured to the lower edge of the door which is adapted to contact with the ground when the door has been properly closed by the closing device. In Figure 11, the lower edge of the door is provided with a groove 29 in which is slidably mounted the weather strip 30 that is constantly forced outwardly by the spring 3! arranged in the groove. This construction insures tight engagement of the weather strip with the ground when the door has been fully closed.

Of course, it is to be understood that the component parts of the device may be designed in various other ways and that the invention shown and described is capable of many modifications. Such modifications coming within the scope of the claims are to be considered within the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In combination with a sliding garage door and the guide track thereof, an automatic closing device therefor comprising a cam plate secured to the track and having a cam recess; a spring plate bent to provide a pair of relatively angular-1y disposed portions, one of said portions being fixed to the door and the other portion extending laterally therefrom; a sleeve formed integrally with the free end of the extended portion of said spring plate; and a pin fixedly engaged in said sleeve and arranged for engagement within the cam recess of said cam plate.

2. In combination with a sliding garage door and the guide track thereof, an automatic closing device therefor comprising a cam plate secured to the track and having a cam recess; a spring plate bent to provide a pair of relatively angularly disposed portions, one of said portions being fixed to the door and the other portion extending laterally therefrom; a sleeve formed integrally with the free end of the extended p0- tion of said spring plate; a pin fixedly engaged in said sleeve and arranged for engagement within the cam recess of said cam plate; and a bumper spring disposed at the opening of the recess in said cam plate whereby to absorb the shock of the pin coming in contact with the cam plate and to yieldably retain the pin in engagement with said cam plate.

WALLACE E. BAGLEY. HARRY HETTRICH BARTEL. 

